Election Results Annulled in Adjara’s One District

A central election commission in Adjara Autonomous Republic has annulled election results in the Khelvachauri constituency – one of the six constituencies in the region.

Repeat elections in Khelvachauri through the proportional, party-list system will be held on November 16 and through the majoritarian system – on December 14.

An election watchdog group, International Society for Free Elections and Democracy, reported “grave violations” in some of the precincts of the Khelvachauri constituency, including ballot stuffing. The Christian-Democratic Party, which was second in polls after the ruling party with 14.7%, has demanded annulment of results in the Khelvachauri district.

Repeat elections in the district will not change power balance in the Autonomous Republic’s new 18-seat parliament in which the ruling party has absolute majority.

If the election results were not annulled in the Khelvachauri district, according to the formula, based on which distribution of seats is calculated, the ruling party would have had total of 17 seats – eleven through proportional system and all six majoritarian seats – and the Christian-Democratic Party only one seat.

The most probable scenario that may emerge after the repeat elections in Khelvachauri is that the Christian-Democratic Party may increase its presence in the local parliament to two lawmakers. The ruling party, which is still expected to win the majoritarian contest in the Khelvachauri district, will most likely have total of 16 seats in the Adjara’s local parliament – Supreme Council – after the repeat polls in Khelvachauri.

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